


Sharp as Glass and Twice as Bright

by Kalcifer



Series: FatT Sapphic Week 2020 [5]
Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Multi, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:33:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26399479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalcifer/pseuds/Kalcifer
Summary: Adaire's got everything under control as they flee the University. It's fine. She doesn't need some goddess of death trying to interfere with her plans.
Relationships: Adaire Ducarte/Adelaide Tristé/Hella Varal
Series: FatT Sapphic Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1920205
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Sharp as Glass and Twice as Bright

**Author's Note:**

> Hella/Adaire and Hella/Adelaide are fantastic in their own rights, but also I just want the scheming women to kiss.

Hella was used to feeling the urge to reach for Adaire. These days, there wasn’t any reason to fight it, so it wasn’t until her hand was almost to Adaire’s that she realized the impulse had come from Adelaide.

Adaire smiled at Hella, only to start when Adelaide’s disembodied voice echoed through their heads. 

“Oh, good,” it said, “I was hoping that would work.”

“Hi! Um, Adaire, this is Adelaide” Hella said, rushing to mediate. “I’m so glad you two are getting a chance to talk.”

“Me too,” Adaire said. Her expression made it clear that she was lying, or at the very least wished the circumstances were different. She had enough on her plate trying to update her escape plan to work for four people and a dog. More than that was excessive, and frankly the sort of thing she was trying to get away from.

Still, Hella liked Adelaide, so Adaire would dust off her god-schmoozing skills from Aubade and give it her best shot.

“It seemed about time. I want to know who’s keeping an eye on Hella over on that side, and I thought a neutral meeting ground might be nicer than whisking you to Adularia without warning.” Adelaide paused, clearly just to savor the drama, before adding. “For now, anyway.”

“I can take care of myself, you know,” Hella said with faux indignation.

Hearing someone respond out loud to a voice in Adaire’s head was disorienting. She refused to give Adelaide the satisfaction of witnessing her discomfort for a second time though, so she turned her attention to Hella. “Tell me that again when I’m not getting us out of trouble for the millionth time. I swear, you wouldn’t even have thought to leave.”

“Thank you, Adaire.” Hella’s singsong tone didn’t hide her sincerity, but it did make it easier to ignore, which was good enough.

“Where are you going?” Adelaide asked.

“Away,” Adaire said immediately.

Adelaide didn’t have a physical presence, but she still managed to convey the act of rolling her eyes. “Well, you’ve succeeded then. Congratulations. What happens now?”

“I’ll figure something out.” Adaire always did. She didn’t need some pampered empress-god second-guessing her like this.

“I’m sure you will.” Adelaide sounded amused, but though Adaire scrutinized her tone carefully, she couldn’t find any trace of condescension or disdain. “I just wanted to suggest that you might not have to, at least not on your own. I do still have some influence over there, you know.”

“Really? That would be amazing!” Hella clapped her hands in excitement, before realizing her mistake and grabbing Adaire’s hand again.

Adaire was still trying to figure out how this could be interpreted as a slight against her, but if Adelaide was genuinely offering something for free, she’d take it before she could realize that she’d made a mistake. “What kind of help are you offering?”

“I’ve managed to get in contact with some of my people, and I’m sure they’d be happy to give you someplace to stay, at least until you ‘figure something out’.” Another of those infuriating dramatic pauses. “And if you need something more immediate, I’m happy to do that, too.”

There was something hard and round between Hella’s hand and Adaire’s, something that hadn’t been there a moment ago. Adaire couldn’t stop herself from bringing it into the light, ignoring the twinge of loss as the connection to Adelaide snapped once again.

It was a pearl. Of course it was. Adaire laughed quietly to herself and stuck it in her pocket, then sat on Hella’s lap. “This seems like it will be easier for everyone.”

“Yeah, totally,” Hella said, slightly breathless. “This is good.”

Adaire could feel Adelaide’s amusement. “Hella was right. You are clever.”

“She talks about me with you? You’re doing better than me, then,” Adaire said.

“That’s not true,” Hella said. “I love you both, so obviously I talk about you when you’re not around. That’s all there is to it.”

Adaire flushed. Interestingly, Adelaide had gone very quiet, too. This really was a learning experience.

Adelaide was the first to recover. “All right, then, if that’s how you want to do it. Why don’t you tell Adaire all about me, and I’ll let you know how you’re doing?”

“Only if I get to hear her description of me next,” Adaire said.

“I only say nice things about you, and you’re both so mean to me.” Hella wrapped her arms around Adaire, pulling her closer. “But fine. If you’re so determined to laugh at me, I won’t stop you.” She took a moment to think before launching into what Adaire thought was far too flattering a description of Adelaide. 

Adaire didn’t call her on it. She was very curious to know how Hella would characterize her.


End file.
